Rest 1893

Edgar Degas made this artwork in pastel, likely in France in the late 19th century. It seems to show two women: one slumped over a bed, perhaps exhausted, while the other, behind her, is stood up, seemingly with a basket. What can we say about it in terms of social history? Well, Degas showed a keen interest in representing the lives of working-class women in France. We might look at the representation of women within the artistic institutions of the time. Were women given the same opportunities as male artists? Were they encouraged to represent their own lives in art, or were they limited to being models? We can look at how gender roles were defined and how art was involved in supporting or questioning these. To understand this image better, we could research into the social history of 19th-century France, focusing on gender, class, and the art world.